altimetry

American  

[al-tim-i-tree] / ælˈtɪm ɪ tri /

noun

1. the science of measuring altitudes, as by altimeters.

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altimetry British  

/ ˌæltɪˈmɛtrɪkəl, ælˈtɪmɪtrɪ /

noun

1. the science of measuring altitudes, as with an altimeter

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Other Word Forms

• altimetrical adjective
• altimetrically adverb

Etymology

Origin of altimetry

First recorded in 1690–1700; alti- + -metry

Example Sentences

Last year, the global mean sea level was around 11 centimetres higher than when satellite altimetry records began in 1993.

From Barron's • Mar. 23, 2026

Direct changes in ice elevation measured by altimetry satellites; and measurement of ice movements via satellite and thus how much ice streams change over time.

From Science Daily • May 14, 2024

Chandrayaan-3’s redundant altimetry is especially pertinent because of the role laser altimetry played during the failed April 25 touchdown of ispace’s first lunar lander.

From Scientific American • Aug. 23, 2023

The sudden increase in levels at the Kakhovka reservoir appears in altimetry data — which uses satellites to measure height — published on Friday by Theia, a French earth data provider.

From New York Times • May 17, 2023

Figure 24.16 An image of Sif Mons with lava flows on Venus, based on Magellan synthetic aperture radar data combined with radar altimetry to produce a three-dimensional map of the surface.

From Textbooks • Aug. 12, 2015